Dogye Apartment Tour

Here is our apartment amidst a sea of changing colors and rolling hills. Our apartment is in one of the two smaller buildings on the left.



Hello. Well We have finally moved to our apartment in Dogye. The board of education and our school finally gave in let us move to an apartment within 5 minutes walking distance to out school. There are pros and cons, but it is Wonderful to commute 5 to 10 minutes on foot rather then 1 and a half by bus and foot. It is very small and very cute and feels cozier than the last apartment. It has a bedroom, a living room with a little porch, a kitchen/kitchen table area, and a wee little room that we begged them to put the refrigerator in. They thought we were nuts. The bathroom is truly Korean style. There and is a toilet and a very tiny little tub that doesn't exactly seem usable, especially because the shower head is not located in the tub area but outside and beside the tub. So we stand, squat, or sit on stool and hold the little shower head over our own head and try to get clean. It's hilarious and distressing at the same time. Oh yeah, the heating system does not include the bathroom so it is cold as ice before you get the shower going. The kitchen however is very cute with lovely cabinets and a sink. This is the only sinkn in the house, bless it's heart. There is no sinkn in the bathroom so we brush our teeth in the kitchen sink, which is a little odd. So when we get home to the US if you catch us brushing our teeth late at night in the kitchen sink over a pile of dirty dishes, just kindly stop us and remimnd at that in American we can brush our teeth in the bathroom. We will thank you and sheepishly move on.

In the living room there is a little porch that has a fantastic view of the mountains. There are even great trails up there to hike on. The fall colors are rich and beautiful... It's very calming to come home and sit on the porch and just stare out into the quiet town. But I am not completely alone on the porch. NO I share this space with the black fake leather couch that stands on it's side vertically in the corner. We do not like the couch. They told us we would not have to take it when we moved but it came and there it stands on the porch looming at me. I ignore it and look at the changing leaves instead (or Michael's sweet face).

They also said we would not have to take the TV either...and again there it is...we tucked it into the laundry room like a couple of good hippies and wished it well.

All in all, it is nice to be in Dogye. It is quiet at our apartment, whereas in Samcheok it was loud, bright, and frenetic outside. It is also cool to be in the community our students live in. This morning as I was walking to school (Michael went to his other school today) a family from school pulled over and gave me a lift to school. It was very sweet. I'd like to get to know the students and families better and take advantage of living in the mountains again. I get very frustrated with the school itself, but as usual, never with the kids.
I am going to class now but later I going to boldly explain the pros and cons of working at a school in rural Korea.

I will leave you with this moment of Korean Zen:


Happy Showering!

--Soon I will hopefully be able to post the video we made of the apt. Stay tuned!